Garvins parents were killed when he was 13 by muggers While shopping in the Merchants District. Missing his parents greatly, his spent much of his spare time at their graves. Graveyards caretaker, Morgan getting up in years, seeing him there so much took pity on him and adopted him and made him his apprentice as a witch and as a graveyard caretaker. Morgan showed him how to create a poppet and use it to communicate with the spirits. The spirits tell him things and are sometimes just happy that someone is taking care of their graves. Garvin spent years talking to spirits of the grave, they taught him about many things during thier discussions. A few spirits, just really wanting to talk to someone, have also taught him different languages. A few have told him of hidden trinkets and money that they have hidden away. With their permission he uses this knowledge and has broken into a few places to "Liberate" them. No reason to let someone else stumble on them.
Between selling retriveed items and buy msny of his magical items from Zolin, he decides that he should go to the party, and maybe cur some favor with Zolin, to help him with future sales. And of course free food is never something to turn down